Stage 3 did bring some time gaps in the closing stages among the leading contenders meaning that there was some shuffling in the GC beyond the Top 4 positions. Today's stage is a lone battle against the mountain and the clock for our riders and a big chance to improve, or in certain cases, fall, in the GC. Can Pluchkin keep his lead for the fourth straight day or will someone step up to snatch away the lead? What about the likes of Tenorio, who's the bookies' favourite for this stage, no less, Eastman and Uran who haven't had the greatest of races so far? Will they make a comeback or fall further off the pace? Let's find out as the first rider lines up to start things off.
Favourites
MON
TT
Tenorio
84
80
Pluchkin
84
78
Eastman
82
77
Uran
81
77
Wellens
82
72
Denifl
83
71
Kudus
82
72
Monsalve
81
72
Choi
80
75
Oomen
80
74
Ratiy
80
74
Henao Montoya
81
70
Nerz
80
73
Abal
79
75
Martin
80
71
Carthy
81
67
Our cameras however picks up Preidler as the first rider of interest. Rhim was leading up to this point with a time of 41'22"
Preidler sets the fastest time of 7'54" in the first intermediate. He then sets the fastest time at the second intermediate, that of 23'7". He goes fastest at the finish, and comfortably so. The time to beat is 39'43".
Suaza sets the new best time at the first intermediate, faster by 13 seconds. He is 20 seconds faster at the second time-check. However, he falls off dramatically in the final sector to be 21 seconds down at the finish.
Panayotov is slower at the first time check by 4 seconds. He falls a further six seconds at the second time-check. He puts in a fast final sector, but is still 3 seconds down at the line to his teammate.
Haga is on a good run. He sets a new best time of 7'32" at the first intermediate. The second intermediate produces another best time of 22'23". He goes past the finish taking the lead with a time of 39'38".
Ratiy matches Haga's time in the first sector,. He is faster by 7 seconds in the second sector. He pulls away in the final sector to produce a new best time of 39'16".
Nazaret hasn't had the best start. He's 21 seconds down at the first intermediate. He falls further to 51 seconds down at the second split. He finishes half a minute down on the best time.
Borisavljevic is doing much better. He's just a second down at the first time check. He loses 4 more seconds in the second sector. He finishes 23 seconds off the best time.
Roson has a similar start, being 2 seconds down. He equals the best time in the second split and pulls away to set a new best time of 39'14".
Antunes starts of 3 seconds down, continues to lose 3 more seconds in the second sector. He ends up 24 seconds down.
Bonnin has an ok start. He is 16 down at the first split. He loses time in the next sector and is 32 seconds down. He improves in the final sector, ending up 16 off the best time.
Herrada starts off string, posting a new best time of 7'29" in the first intermediate. He slows down thereafter, being down 3 seconds in the second sector and finishing 41 seconds down.
Abal matches the best time in the first sector but then falls off as well, ending 34 seconds slower.
Pomoshnikov loses 3 seconds in the first sector. He loses 5 and 26 seconds respectively in the second and third sectors, to end up 34 seconds slower.
Padun improves the best time on all sectors to post a leading time of 38'51".
Nerz goes faster by a second in the first sector. He falls off in the second sector to be down by a second. He loses a further 7 seconds in the final to go into second place, 8 seconds off the pace.
Konig is the 15th place rider in the GC and with him, we'll be following the riders through the course and all the intermediates.
Konig is 14 seconds down at the first time check.
Uran ties the best time at the first intermediate.
Eastman posts the fastest time in the first sector - 7'21".
Latour is 13 seconds down.
Tenorio posts the new fastest time of 7'17".
Denifl is just 3 seconds down.
Henao Montoya is a further 4 seconds down.
Choi posts the same time as Henao Montoya.
Oomen is a further 5 seconds slower.
Monsalve is 18 seconds down.
Martin does better, and is 8 seconds down.
Not that good from Carthy. He's 21 seconds down.
Wellens is 4 seconds off the pace.
Kudus is 9 seconds down.
Pluchkin is slightly better, having lost 6 seconds so far.
Here are the overall Top 15 after the first intermediate:
Tenorio
7'17"
Denifl
+ 3
Wellens
+ 4
Eastman
+ 4
Pluchkin
+ 6
Choi
+ 7
Henao
+ 7
Martin
+ 8
Nerz
+ 8
Uran
+ 8
Kudus
+ 9
Padun
+ 9
Oomen
+ 12
Abal
+ 14
Herrada
+ 15
Konig is now down 46 seconds after the second time check.
Uran loses 4 seconds in the second sector.
Eastman sets the fastest time again in the second sector - 21'45".
Latour is 36 seconds down.
Tenorio goes fastest! The new benchmark is 21'28".
Denifl is 7 seconds slower now.
Henao Montoya falls 21 seconds off the pace.
Choi is a further 4 seconds down.
Oomen is 40 seconds slower already.
Monsalve is even further back at 56 seconds.
Martin is better off having lost 26 seconds so far.
Carthy is a minute and one second down already! Not a good day for him so far.
Wellens is 11 seconds down on the best time.
Kudus is 26 seconds down.
Pluchkin is slightly better off at 20 seconds.
Here are the Top 20 after the second intermediate:
Tenorio
21'28"
Denifl
+ 7
Wellens
+ 11
Eastman
+ 17
Pluchkin
+ 20
Henao Montoya
+ 21
Choi
+ 25
Kudus
+ 26
Martin
+ 26
Padun
+ 33
Nerz
+ 34
Uran
+ 37
Oomen
+ 40
Roson
+ 48
Ratiy
+ 48
Herrada
+ 51
Latour
+ 53
Borisavljevic
+ 53
Abal
+ 54
Antunes
+ 54
Konig finishes already losing 1'29" to Padun's best time.
Uran is much better off. He has lost 11 seconds.
Eastman sets the new time to beat of 38'24".
Latour loses 59 seconds.
Tenorio improves the best time to 37'49".
Denifl improves in the final sector but still can't beat the best time. He's 3 seconds down and slots into 2nd.
Henao Montoya is 28 seconds off the pace.
Choi is a further 16 seconds slower.
Oomen loses more than a minute, and will lose a few positions.
Monsalve loses exactly 90 seconds. He's not had a good day!
Martin does better being 33 seconds down.
Carthy follows Monsalve in losing 1'28". His Top 5 placing is gone.
Wellens is the fastest in the final sector. He gets close but is 4 seconds off the best time and is 3rd now. He trails Pluchkin by 12 seconds and Kudus by 8.
Kudus won't be holding on to his 2nd place! He loses 30 seconds today.
Pluchkin can't quite do enough either! He loses 22 seconds to Tenorio and 18 seconds to Wellens, meaning he loses his GC lead!
Today's winner - Justo Tenorio.
Props to Tenorio to not give up or throw his toys out of the pram after a poor first stage. He steps up to take the win today, which moves him up to 7th in the GC. Denifl also has a good day, finishing 2nd on the stage and moving up to 6th in the GC. Third place on the stage takes Wellens up to the top of the GC. He will be delighted, especially after almost being dropped for good on the previous stage. Pluchkin and Kudus drops a spot each but remain on the podium. Carthy drops to 5th while Martin moves up to 4th. Monsalve and Oomen are some of the other losers today. Henao Montoya and Eastman move up while Latour moves down.
Pluchkin remains on top of the Points standings. No change in the KOM with no points on offer today. Oomen and Berg continue to remain at the top of the U25 and Teams classifications.
